Switchboard.



1. P. HAYES.

SWITCHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a. I9I4.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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J. P. HAYES. SWITGHBOARD.y APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a. 19m.

Patented Deo. 12, 1916.

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JOI-IN P. HAYES, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-SIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JGHN E. BARNHART, OF PITTSBURGH,VPENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCI-IBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN P. HAYES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switchboards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches adapted to be used in connection with boards or mountings carrying various elements adapted for receiving and distributing of electrical circuits.

The objects are to construct such a device in a simple, compact and readily available form, providing ample room and capacity for attachment and connection of the various conductor elements, and to insure a quick make and break of the circuit by a spring tensioned operative switch.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a certain preferred arrangement and construction of the switch embodying the invention so as to give a full understanding of its construction and operation, but desire to have it understood that the arrangement and construction as shown may be varied from without departing from the scope of the invention as embodied in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a frontl face view of a portion of a switch board, showing the handles of two switches and the connecting devices in position. Fig. 2 is a similar rear face view from the other side, Ashowing the switches in place. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view indicated by the line III. III. of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view indicated by the line IV. IV. of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view indicated by the line V. V. of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a simi-- lar view indicated by the line VI. VI. of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a similar view indicated by the line VII. VII. of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view showing the locking and unlocking mechanism for the shifting shaft. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing a modified construction of contact mechanism for the intermittently rotatable barrel. Fig. 10 is a detail view in elevation showing a modified arrangement of fuse sockets. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing an operative circuit arrangement.

In the construction shown in the drawings, 2 represents the base of the switch board made. of insulating material and provided.`

at one side with corner pivoting pins 3 enga ging supporting brackets 4. On the opposite corners are holes 5 to receive holding bolts 7 and nuts 3, by which the board may be held securely in position, or released to swing outwardly. 0n the inner side of the base 2 are mounted the bus bars 14-15 respectively, and on the bus bars are secured bus bar spring contacts 18-19. Apart from the Vbus bars and insulated therefrom are arranged spring contacts 21-22 respectively. Under these contacts and projecting upwardly by extended terminals is an insulation 40 to prevent any possible chance of the current jumping in close adjustments. On the base or board 2, and preferably on the opposite side from the bus bars, are fuse clip contacts 24, 25, connected by bolts 26 to switch contacts 21, 22 respectively. Outer fuse clip contacts 31, 32, respectively are spaced beyond said contacts and are each provided with a suitable binding post 33. Between the fuse clips 24-31, and 25;-32, are inserted the usual fuses 36.

Numeral 50 represents a protective shield or cover made of porcelain or any other suitable material which affords a covering for the fuse attachments, fuses, terminals and main switch, and also to carry a label to indicate the circuit. The shield 50 is pivoted by a hinge pin 51 passing through lugs or ears 52 of the shield and lugs 53 of spring plates 54 inserted underneath the fuse clips. A middle lug 55 of the shield project-s slightly beyond its edge and engages the face of the board, forcing up the hinge terminal 53 of the spring plate 54, thus holding the shield by spring action in position when closed over the fuse, as in Fig. 6. In either opening or closing the cover 50, plate 54 eX- erts a tension by its spring and effects holding of the coverv in either position. On the same face of the board as the fuses are mounted on, I provide indicator plates 27 marked On and Off through which the indicator hand 28 projects, which is operated as hereinafter described.

The operative mechanism of the switch is mounted on the reverse side of the base 2 from the series of fuse clips, main switch, etc., above described, and is constructed and adapted to operate as follows, it being understood that one complete switch mechanism is utilizedfor each set of fuses and connections, across the board. Each of the switches is actuated by its rotatable stem and button which projects through the board, through gearing and quick acting mechanism, whereby to make and break the contact, through a spindle or shaft, carrying the commutator or commutators, actuated longitudinally by a screw and the tightening actionv of a helical spring. The operative mechanism of each switch is mounted within or upon a suitable metallic casing or bearing 70, secured upon the face of the base 2 by screws, or otherwise, as desired. Within the casing are the interengaging bevel gears 71, 72 respectively of suitable proportions. Gear 72 is secured upon the inner end of stem 75 extending through the base and havin@P a proper bearing in casing 70 or a plate 73 thereof. Stem 75 is preferably provided wi-th a washer 76, a collar 77 having a set screw 78, and an outer operating handle or terminal 79, by which the stem and gear 72 may be actuated.

Gear 71 is threaded through its hub, engaging thread 115 of shaft 90 carrying the commutators and 96. Gear 71 is mounted in any suitable manner in the end of the casing 70, preferably having a collar 81 secured by a set screw 82 on the outer side thereof, engaging the hub of the gear and holding it against longitudinal movement. T he gear 71 is also preferably provided with a series of ratchet teeth 122 engaged by pawl 123 pivoted on the inside of casing 70, and pressed into engagement with teeth 122 by spring 124, to insure against reverse movement of the gear.

The main shaft or spindle 90, extending transversely through casing 70, is provided with one or more commutators 95, 96, preferably of insulating material, having inserted bushings 97 and conductor contacts 100 and 101 respectively. Said contacts extend only partially around the periphery of the commutator, and contact 100 operates to make electrical contact or engagement with the spring contacts 19 and 22 connected with the bus bar 16 and fuse contact 22, as above described. Contact 101 operates to make Velectrical contact with spring contactV 17 of bus bar 14 and contact 20 of fuse clip 23. By this construction it will be seen that a half rotation of the commutator effects engagement or disengagement through said means. Bushings 97 of the commutators have a sliding lit on squared portions 91 of shaft 90, and each end of the shaft is also provided with a spring washer 103 held by washer 105 and nut 106 at the outer end and a washer 104 engaging the shouldered end of the central portion of the shaft at the inner end ofeach commutator. By this means a limited amount of free movement of the shaft with relation to the commutator is provided. Surrounding the middle portion of the shaft 90 is a helical spring 107, one end of which is secured to gear 71, and the other end is secured to the shaft, as at 108. By this construction, when stem 75 is rotated clock-wise, gear 71 actuates spring 107 to tighten it, the threaded hub of the gear at the same time thrusting the shaft longitudinally and somewhat lengthening spring 107. For the purpose of utilizing such construction to effect a quick make and break of the circuit, a retaining abutment 109 having inclined faces and retaining shoulders 110, extends outwardly beyond a plate 111 secured outwardly of the casing 70.

Pins or lugs 112 extend laterally from shaft 90 and engage shoulders 110 until the shaft is thrust longitudinally to bring abutments 11.2 beyond the shoulders. At the same time spring 107 having been partly wound and under tension, shaft 90 will be quickly rotated by the spring as soon as lugs 112 become disengaged, effecting quick rotation of the connnutators. At the same time the rotation of the shaft 90 will effect its backward movement by the feeding of the screw threads in the relatively stationary hub of gear 71, which is held by the ratchet mechanism 122, 123, above described. This operation will take place each time that stem 75 is rotated suilicicntly to effect disengagement of lugs 112.

For the purpose of indicating the condition of the switches at all times, on the face of the board, shaft 90 is provided with a lug or eccentric 113 operating upon the forked arms 114, 114 of a pointer or indicator 28 pivoted at 115 within the casing. The pointer 28 extends outwardly through the base and through a slot 116 in plate 27 and is thus thrust to its raised or lowered position, and corresponding to the on or oil points indicated by plate 27. By this means the operator may see at all times just what is the condition of the switch. With each operation of the shaft, the commuta tors make a half revolution, the spring mechanism effecting a quick make and break of the circuit contacts, as above described.

In Fig. 9 I show a modified construction of commutator 95a having fixedly secured to its peripheral portion clip contacts 127 and 128 adapted to make engagement with the bus bar contacts 129 and fuse contact 130 respectively, effecting make and break of the current from the bus bar to the fuse clip con tact through connecting bolt 131, as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 10 I show a modified construction of sockets 132, 133 for engagement of the fuse plugs, at right angles to the board 2, such fuse plugs being of well-known construction, but which involve otherwise no material change in the mounting of the apparatus.

In Fig. 11, showing a diagrammatic illustration of the wiring, two of the switch constructions above described are shown as connected with two lamp circuits, one of the switches operating on the plus and neutral bus bars, the other switch operating on the minus and neutral bus bars. In this arrangement, feeder lines 151, 152, 153 are connected to the bus bars 14, 16 and 15 respectively. Assuming the bus bars to be charged, the circuit is from bus bar 14 to contact 17, commutator contact 101 to contact 20, to fuse clip 23, fuse 36, fuse clip 30, line 156, through lamp circuit 155 to line 157, to binding post 33, fuse clip 32, fuse 36, fuse clip 25, contact 22, commutator contact 100, contact 19, to bus bar 16, which completes the lamp circuit indicated. The other circuit is through the neutral bus bar 16 to contact 19', through commutator contact 100, to contact 22, to fuse clip 25', fuse 36', fuse clip 32, binding post 83, line 159, through lamp circuit 154, thence by line 160 to binding post 33, clip 31, fuse 36, clip 24, contact 21, commutator contact 101, contact 18, bus bar 15, to line 153.

The invention may be changed or varied' in construction, arrangement or details by the skilled mechanic, or adapted to various applications of use by the skilled electrician, but all such changes are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with conducting members having contact terminals, a rotatable switch having a co-acting conducting portion and non-conducting portion, a shaft therefor, a casing, gears rotatably mounted in the casing adapted to actuate the shaft, a fiXedly mounted locking abutment, an abutment extending from the shaft co-acting therewith and adapted to be released therefrom upon predetermined m'ovement of said gears, and a spring connected with one of said gears and with said shaft.

2. In combination with conducting members having contact terminals, a rotatable switch having a co-acting conducting portion and non-conducting portion, a longitudinally movable rotatable threaded shaft therefor, locking means for the shaft releasable upon longitudinal movement thereof, a gear having threaded engagement with the shaft, a spring connecting said gear with the shaft, and means for actuating said gear.

3. In combination with conducting members having contact terminals, a rotatable switch having a co-acting conducting portion and non-conducting portion, a longitudinally movable rotatable threaded shaft therefor, locking means for the shaft releasable upon longitudinal movement thereof, a gear having threaded engagement with the shaft, a spring connecting said gear with the shaft, and an operating spindle having a gear engaging said gear,

4. In combination with conducting members having contact terminals, a rotatable switch having a co-acting conducting portion and non-conducting portion, a longitudinally movable rotatable threaded shaft therefor, a casing, a gear rotatably mounted in the casing having threaded engagement with the shaft and adapted to aditance it longitudinally, a lixedly mounted locking abutment, an abutment extending from the shaft co-acting therewith and operable to be released therefrom upon longitudinal movement of the shaft, a spring connecting said gear with the shaft, and an actuating gear engaging said gear.

5. In combination with conducting members having contact terminals, a rotatable switch having a co-acting conducting portion and non-conducting portion, a longitudinally movable rotatable threaded shaft therefor, a casing, a gear rotatably mounted in the casing having threaded engagement with the shaft and adapted to advance it longitudinally, means for iixedly holding` said gear against reverse movement, a fixedly mounted locking abutment, an abutment extending from the shaft co-acting therewith and operable to be released therefrom upon longitudinal movement of the shaft, a spring connecting said gear with the shaft, and an actuating gear engaging said gear.

6. Switch mechanism of the class described consisting of a threaded shaft, a commutator rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a conducting portion operable to make and break a circuit, a supporting casing for the shaft, a gear mounted in the casing having threaded engagement with the shaft, a helical spring connecting said gear' with the shaft, ratchet mechanism for said gear, a co-acting gear and shaft therefor, and means holding the commutator shaft against rotation releasable upon a predetermined longitudinal movement thereof.

7. Switch mechanism of the class described consisting of a threaded shaft, a commutator rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a conducting portion operable to make and break a circuit, a supporting casing for the shaft, a gear mounted in the casing having threaded engagement with the shaft, a helical spring connecting said gear with the shaft, ratchet mechanism for said gear, a co-acting gear and shaft therefor, means holding the commutator shaft against rotation releasable upon a predetermined longitudinal movement thereof in one direction and operable to rengage upon reverse movement of the shaft and reactionary screw engagement with the threaded gear.

8. In combination with the threaded shaft, gearing, spring, and releasable locking mechanism, a commutator rotatably and longitudinally mounted on the shaft and www v each end engaging the shaft, substantially indicator extending through the base, an indicating plate therefor, and a rotatable abutment on the shaft co-aoting With the indicator, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN P. HAYES.

provided With cushioning spring devices at Witnesses:

C. M. CLARKE, FREDK. STAUB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing th'e Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

